Automatic railway signal and stop



A. ZUKOR AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNAL AND STOP Original Filed March 1 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR AJZUKOR AUTOMATIC RAYIQWA-FLQSIGNA'U AND STOP Original Filed March 1, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Aug. 19, 1924. 1,505,459

A. ZUKOR AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNAL AND STOP Original Filed March 1, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 25 {ll/Ill,

IIVVENTOR A TTOR/VE A. ZUKOR AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNAL AND STOP Original Filed March 1 922 4 SheetsSheet maze/W012 I By Arm/M8 Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES,

ARNOLD ZuKoR, on New, YoaK, N. Y, Asstenon or, baa-manners 'ro Rosin ZUCKERMANN, or snnaroen SPRINGS, new YORK.

AoToMA'rIo RAILWAY SIGNAL Ann STOP.

Application 'filed March 1', 1922, Serial No. 540,131. Renewed November 14, 1923.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARNOLD ZUKOR, a citizen of the United States, and residentof the city of New York, in the county of New 5 York and State'of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Railway Signals and Stops,v of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in railway signals of the type which serves to protect the short sections or blocks into which the line is divided, the arrangement being such that only one train is per- .locomotive'with an audible signal actuating mitted to enter a section or block at a time.

The device pertains more particularly to that type .of railway signals, which is described. in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,097,382,

granted to me on May 19, 1914. In this patent a railroad signal is described which includes a plurality of boxes arranged along a track, each box having slidably arranged therein a stop, which extends above the upper surface of the same and a block also slidably disposed above the box. There are means provided for connecting each block with the stop in the box in rear of it, whereby, upon lowering the block, thestop connected with it is raised. Within each box there is a means disposed for causing the block thereon to be raised when the stop in the same box is raised. The connection between each block and the stop in thebox in rear of it is made by sprocket wheels and chains, the chains extending obviously from box to box. g

The main object of the present invention is to do away with the sprocket and chain connections, which often cause serious trouble, the arrangement being such that of the invention is better understood,"-the' same consists in the combination, arrangement and construction of parts'hereinafter described, pointed I out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying hydraulic means are substituted, which not only simplify the construction but render drawings, it being understood that many changes may be made in the sizeand proportion ofthe several parts and details of construction within the scope ofthe appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. 1 c I i One of the many possible embodiments'of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which i Q Figure l is a diagrammatic view of the invention employed on a: single-track road; F ig. 2 is a side elevation of aportion of a device and a steam throttle operating mechanism mounted thereon, shown in operative relation to the co-operating parts that are disposed along the track; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the devices shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, is avertical longitudinal section taken through one of the devices which constitutes thetrack portion ofthe signaling system; Fig. 5. is a similar section, showing the elements in other positions; Fig. 6 is a section'taken on line 6-45 of F ig.4; 7 is a section taken on line 7 -7 of Fig.- 4; Fig.8 is a side elevation of a portion of the. device shown in Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a section taken on line'9---9 of Fig. 5; 10 is a section taken on line 1010 of 7.; Fig.

11 is a vertical section taken through a detail of construction; and Figs 12 to 15, in} elusive, are diagrammatic views showing certain elementsof the track portion of the device in different positions.

Generally-speaking, the invention con sists of a plurality of hydraulically interconnected stop members, which are. arranged alongthetrack at certain intervals. I These members, when set, actuate a swinging arm upon the locomotive of a passing train, said arm operating an audlble signal such as a team PATENT OFFICE.

bell, which is arranged inthe cab of the locomotive. The stop members also automatically move the throttle to closing position and actuate asemaphore'arm, as will hereinafter appear; The stop members are set' automaticallyby the:locomotiveofa train ,and'are also restored'in, a similar'manner' i to their 'normaL'inopera tive positions by the said locomotiver Referring'nowto the drawings, the 1111- meralj 20 indicates a. railroad track, on I which the trains runin the direction of the' I arrow shown in F ig; 1 of thedrawings;

This track is divided for signaling purposes into sectionsor blocks,'the division being accomplished by placing at predetermined intervals, for instance equidistantly, along the track signaling devices, which are denoted in Fig. 1 of the drawings by the numerals 1, II and Hi. All of these signaling devices are alike in construction, and

for. this reason only one of the same will be described. One of these signaling devices is shown in detail in Figs. 4 to 11, inclusive, and comprises a casing 21 of suitable dimensions, that is mounted upon'two cylinders 22 and 23'. These cylinders extend in parallel relation vertically and do not communicate one with the other. The casing and cylinders are sunk into the ground adjacent the track, the cylinder 23 of each box being connected by a pipe 24 with the cylinder 22 associated withthe casing in rear thereof. With, each casing are associated two distinct elements of the signal, that is to say a stop and a stop-setting device. The stop comprises a vertical bar 25, disposed above the casing and mounted upon a piston rod 26, the latter-extending through the casing into the cylinder 22, it carrying within the said cylinder a" piston 27, reciprocably mounted therein; In the cylinder 23 is also reciprocably'mounted a piston, denoted by the numeral 28, the rod 29 of which extends through the casing 21 and carries above the same a shoe 30, the upper face of which tapers toward its rear end, as shown at 31.

In order to prevent the rods from turning,

each of the same is provided with a key 32, seated in keyways 33 in the casing 21. The pipes 24 and the several cylinders are filled with a suitable liquid, an air. chamber 34 being inserted ineach pipe, for the well known purpose.

On the piston rods 29' and 26"are oscil-' latably mounted arms 35 and 35, which eX- tends toward each other. as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the'drawings, their free ends overlapping, for a purpose hereinafter to be described. ,Each arm is under the action of a spring 36, the springs having a tendency to shift the arms in the directions of the arrows shown in Fig. 9 of the drawingsj The free end of the arm 35 is tapered, as shown at 38, the taperextending frornthe upper face 39'of the-said arm toward its side face 4O. In a similar manner is tapered the free end of the arm 35, as shown at 41., the taper extending from the underface 42 of the said arm to its side face 43. The spring of the arm 35 has a tendency to force the latter against a vertical ledge 44 in the casing 21,

while the spring of'the arm 35 has a tendency to force the same into a guide channel. 45, which extends from the cover portion of the casing downwards, terminating in the, ledge 44. from entering the channel 45 on the upward In order to prevent either arm'.

by any suitable means. With the piston rod 26 may be associated, for instance, a spring 47, that is coiled around the said rod, one of .its ends bearing against the top of the cas ing 21 and the other end against a stop 48 on the said rod. The locking device of the piston 28 comprises a bell.crank lever 49,

which is pivoted at 50 to the shoe 30. One

arm of this bell-crank lever extends normally above the upper surface of'the shoe, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, while its other arm rests upon a projection 51- on the casing 21,'thereby holding the shoe in its raised position. A spring 52, bearing against the bell-crank lever and a stop 53 on the shoe, has a tendency to keep the lever in engagement with the projection 51 (Figs.

7 and The locomotive of the train is denoted in the drawings bythe numeral '54. To one side of the cab portion 55 of this locomotive is pivoted at 56 a two-armed lever 57, the lower end of which is adapted to bear against the stops, when the latter are'raised in a manner hereinafter to be described. The upper end of the lever 57 constitutes a bell-hammer, adapted to actuate two bells 58 and 59. Springs 60, secured to the side of the locomotive and to the lever 57 serve to hold the latter in its central position or to swing it into such position. To the same side of the locomotive is furthermore atered positions, the roller 61 being disposed,

upon the locomotive in such amanner that it comes into contact with a shoe 30, when the latter is in its ralsedposition.

Adjacent the lever 57 there is mounted upon the side of the locomotive a lever 62,

it being pivoted at 63 to the said side. The

upper end of this last-mentioned lever eX tends through a slot 64 intothe cab of the locomotive, it being attached either, tothe throttle or to the air brake actuating mechanism. The lower end of the lever 62 extends to a point, where it strikes against the stops, when they are in their raised positions.

Upon each stop is mounted a horizontal fork '65, between the prongs of which'is disposed a'pin 66 upon a lever 67. This lever is pivoted at 68 to a standard or post 69, and connected by a link with asem'a phore arm 71, the latter being pivoted at 72 tothe post 69. This arm carries a disk 73,

coated with an illuminating material The semaphore arm, being connected with a stop, has two positions, oorrespon'dlng Ito the When a train arrives atasign'al bo'x and the track is clearahead of it, thejp'arts of the signal box are in positions I, shownin Fig. 1 of the drawings, in which the shoe 30 is in its raised, operative'position and the stop is in its lowered, inoperative posif tion, the semaphore arm being shifted to illuminate the legend Go. As the locomotive runs past. the signalbox I, (Fig. 1)

its roller 6l'first'shifts the bell-crank lever 49 around its pivot 50, to disengage the same from the projection 51, the shoe 30 being then depressed. As this shoe moves downwards, the piston 28 in the cylinder 23 forces the liquid from this piston into the pipe 24 communicating therewith, the liquid being forced into the cylinder 22 in the signal box in the rear, moving the piston 27 therein upwards, thus raising the stop in said box to its operative position. It is to be noted that when the shoe 30 is in its raised position, the arm 35 associated therewith is situated in the respective channel 45, this arm moving downwards, as the shoe is depressed, and being brought on top of the arm 35 associated with the stop in the same box, the elements being then in the positions shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings. The locomotive proceeds then to the next box in the series. In passing this box, its shoe 30 is depressed, whereby the stop of the box I is raised. As this stop is raised, its arm 35' causes the arm 35, connected to the piston rod 29, to move upwards, or in other words it raises the respective shoe 30. When the arm 35 arrives at its uppermost position, the spring 36 associated therewith moves the same into the channel 45, the elements being then in the positions shown in Fig. 13 of the drawings. From this it appears that, whenever the locomotive depresses the shoe 30 of a signaling box, the stop of the box in the rear of the series is raised to its operative position. By raising this stop, the shoe of the same box is also raised and the stop in the rear of the last-named box is restored to its normal, inoperative position due to the partial vacuum created below its piston. It is obvious thatthesprings 47, associated with the stops, must be weak to permit the stops" to be lowered the partial vacuum referred to, q Theichann'el 45 is provided'inth'e signal box in order topermit a shoe to be depressed,

when the stop in the same box is in its raised position. By reference to 14 it appears that the arm 35 may be inits raised position and yet the arm35 associated withthe respective shoe may be brought to itslowerpo'sition, leavingthe arm 35 and the: stop associated therewith in its upper position. If the shoe 30 is inits lo'w'er'posr' tion an'd the stop in the same box in its upper position, as shown for instance in Fig.14, andthereafter thesaid'stop is being lowered, the elements are first brought into the positions shown in Fig. 15 of the dra'w ings. Theginclinedfaces on the arms 35 and 35" thencausethefarm 35 to be shifted" inthe direction of the arrow shown in Fig.

15 of the drawings against the tension of the spring associated with the arm 35', the said spring shifting the arm 35" against the vertical ledge 44, when the arm 35 becomes disposed below the arm 35. The elements are thus brought into the positions shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings, the shoe 30 associated with'the arm 35 being raised, when the respective stop is brought to its upper position, as above described.

hen a locomotive runs past a signal box, the stop of which is in its raised, operative position, its lever 57 will swing to one side, whereby one of the springs 60 will be expanded and the other compressed. The lever disengages itself, as the train is running, from the, stop, whereby the said lever will oscillate on its pivot until the tensions of the springs 60 are equalized. Due to this oscillating movement, the bells 58 and 59 will be acted upon by the said lever, thereby giving the engineer a signal to stop his train, until the stop is lowered or until the semaphore arm 71 indicates that the track is clear. The stop acts also on the lever 62, which automatically brings the train to a stop in case the engineer thereof o-verhears the audible signal or does not pay attention to the semaphore. The stop, when shifted to its upper position, moves the semaphore arm to Stop position and, when lowered, to Go position. The disk 73 is treated with a light emitting compound, to present a visual signal at night.

From the foregoing it appears that the several shoes and stops in the several signal box to be lowered without lowering the stop in the same box. 7 It is, obviously, essential that thetshoe of any givenbox should be adapted to be lowered without carrying 'with it the stop of the same box, as otherwise the stop would be brought to its inoperative position, whenever a train runs past a signal box, the stop of which had been set against it.

What I claim is i 1. In a railroad signal, the combination with a plurality of signal boxes arranged along a track, of a stop slidably arranged in each box extending above the upper surface of the same, a shoe slidably disposed above each box, hydraulic means operatively con necting each shoe with the stop in the boxin rear of it, whereby upon lowering a shoe the stop connected therewith is raised, and means disposed in each box forcausing the shoe therein to be raised upon raising the stop in the same box, said means permitting any shoe to be lowered without aflecting the stop in the'same box in either one of its extreme positions.

2. A railroad slgnal according to claim 1,

comprising means for locking said shoe in its upper position against accidental movement.

3. In a railroad signal, the combination connecting each shoe with the stop in the box in rear of it, wherebyupon lowering a shoe the stop connected therewith is raised, an arm connected with each shoe, an arm associated with each stop engaging the arm as sociated with the shoe in the same box when the said shoe andstop are in their lower positions, thereby causing the shoe to be raised upon raising the stop in the said box. 7

4. In a railroad signal according to claim 3, comprising a lock associated with each shoe for holding the "same in its uppermost position against accidental movement.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York this 20th day of February, A; D. 1922.

I ARNOLD ZUKOR. 

